Intel creates a business unit dedicated to networking and edge

US chip giant Intel is on a bit of a roll in the telecoms sector thanks in part to the growth of OpenRAN, so it has decided to create a new silo dedicated to it.

The Network and Edge Group will be headed up by Nick McKeown, who was already a part-time Intel employee following its acquisition of Barefoot Networks in 2019. He has presumably been sufficiently impressed with Intel’s telecoms efforts since then to fully commit himself to the effort. The former head of Intel’s Netwok Platforms group, Sandra Rivera, will run the datacenter and AI side of things. They will both report directly to CEO Pat Gelsinger.

“Since re-joining Intel, I have been impressed with the depth of talent and incredible innovation throughout the company, but we must move faster to fulfill our ambitions,” said Gelsinger. “By putting Sandra, Raja, Nick and Greg – with their decades of technology expertise – at the forefront of some of our most essential work, we will sharpen our focus and execution, accelerate innovation, and unleash the deep well of talent across the company.”

The other two are graphics guru Raja Koduri and new CTO and software head Greg Lavender, who followed Gelsinger from VMware. Having been rubbish in the telecoms space for years Intel has really raised its game recently by focusing on the datacenter and edge side of things, such that it’s even helping Ericsson out in the RAN. This reorg seems like a clear statement of intent by Gelsinger that he wants to fully capitalise on the opportunity.

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